New experiments to measure rotational speed may rewrite physics textbooks

Chinese researchers have used solid-state quantum spin sensors to investigate novel velocity-dependent interactions between electron spins, providing valuable data and new insights into fundamental physics. Copyright: SciTechDaily.com

Researchers have used quantum sensors to explore new particle interactions at microscopic distances, providing groundbreaking results that expand the scope of the Standard Model in physics.

A research team led by Academician Du Jiangfeng and Professor Rong Xing from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with Professor Jiao Man from Zhejiang University, used solid-state spin quantum sensors to examine dependent exotic interactions. On rotation speeds (SSIVDs) in short power ranges. Their study reported new experimental results related to the interactions between the spins of electrons and was published in Material review letters.

The Standard Model is a very successful theoretical framework in particle physics, which describes fundamental particles and four fundamental interactions. However, the Standard Model still cannot explain some important observational facts in current cosmology, such as dark matter and dark energy.

Some theories suggest that the new particles could act as diffusion devices, transmitting new interactions between Standard Model particles. At present, there is a lack of experimental research on new velocity-related interactions between cycles, especially in the relatively small force-distance range, where experimental verification is almost non-existent.

Experimental results of the study. Source: Du et al.

Experimental setup and methodology

The researchers designed an experimental device equipped with two diamonds. A high-quality array of nitrogen vacancies was prepared on the surface of each diamond using chemical vapor deposition. The electron spin in one group of the nitrogen vacancy acts as a spin sensor, while the other acts as a spin source.

The researchers looked for new interaction effects between the velocity-dependent spin of electrons on the micrometer scale by coherently manipulating the spin quantum states and relative velocities of two diamond NV clusters. First, they used a spin sensor to characterize the interaction of a magnetic dipole with a spin source as a reference. Next, by modulating the vibration of the spin source and performing locking detection and orthogonal phase analysis, they measured the SSIVDs.

For two new interactions, the researchers made the first experimental detection in the force range of less than 1 cm and less than 1 km, respectively, and obtained valuable experimental data.

As the editor noted, “The results provide new insights for the quantum sensing community to explore fundamental interactions by exploiting the compact, flexible, and spin-sensitive features of the solid state.”

Reference: “New constraints on exotic spin- and velocity-dependent interactions with solid-state quantum sensors” by Yue Huang, Hang Liang, Man Jiao, Pei Yu, Xiangyu Yi, Weijin Xie, Yifu Kai, Zhang Kui Duan, Ya Wang, Xing Rong, and Jiangfeng Du, April 30, 2024. Physical Review Letters.
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.180801